Jeff Smith Announces Run in Arizona CD-6

Gilbert, AZ – March 8, 2010 – Jeff Smith announced today that he will run for the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona’s 6th congressional district in 2010 against incumbent Jeff Flake. Smith, who is active in the East Valley and Greater Phoenix Tea Party movement, articulated the principles and values that will be the foundation of his candidacy:

“I believe the Constitution is a divinely inspired document that has come under assault from those who would continuously expand the size and scope of the federal government at the expense of our individual liberties and states’ rights. I am committed to defending the Constitution, stopping the march toward socialism and redistribution of wealth, and to returning the federal government to the limits of its constitutional authority, as envisioned by the founders.”

Smith also identified certain issues where he differs from Jeff Flake, and feels Flake no longer represents the values of the voters in the district. “Illegal immigration continues to be an issue of grave concern for Arizonans. For too long the federal government has failed to secure the border and enforce existing immigration laws. This lack of enforcement amounts to a massive subsidy to certain businesses and industries, at tremendous expense to our legal citizens and immigrants, the economy, and society at large. This picking of winners and losers on the part of the government is tantamount to socialism. I support vigorous enforcement of our immigration laws across all levels of law enforcement, and am opposed to amnesty in any form for those whose first act on American soil was to violate our laws.”

Smith, 44, is married to wife Camille and has three children ages 10, 13, and 15. He graduated in 1989 from Brigham Young University with a degree in Economics and worked in the Banking Industry for a few years before returning to school, earning an MBA from the Goizueta Business School of Emory University. After graduating, he worked for eight years in the Telecommunications industry, then left to found a financial advisory firm in Arizona, which he sold two years ago.

Smith said he looks forward to a vigorous debate about the critical issues facing Arizona and the nation. “I am gratified by the response we have been getting to our message so far. There is clearly an appetite for a return to constitutional principles and conservative values upon which this country was founded. “ While he admires Jeff Flake and is grateful for his service to the district, he feels that Flake has lost touch with his constituents, drifting leftward on some of the crucial issues of our day. Flake also ran on a promise not to stay more than 3 terms and if he runs again, this will be his sixth.

Arizona’s 6th congressional district encompasses parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties. In Maricopa County it includes most of Mesa and Chandler, as well as Gilbert and Queen Creek. In Pinal County it includes Apache Junction and Gold Canyon. It is an area known for cultural conservatism and, as such, is one of the nation’s most conservative Republican districts.

Hey, Mr. Smith, word of advice: if you’re going to draw bright line differences between yourself and Flake, try listing more than one issue. This article says you list “certain issues” (plural) and before I even read the rest of the text, I knew immigration would be the first issue listed. But it was the ONLY issue you listed, so, let’s scrap the plural unless you’ve got more.

One issue does not a bright line make.

How about you kick Jeff in the teeth for voting for ENDA? If you’re so anti-communist that you think we shouldn’t trade with Cuba, kick him in the teeth for trying to normalize relations with Cuba. Heck, I’m not even running (nor do I live in Jeff’s destrict) and I’ve listed more than 1 issue that Jeff could be vulnerable on. I KNOW there are commenters on this site that have bashed Jeff for being a liberal in disguize. Why not dig up their comments and capitalize on them? I think Jeff is pretty popular despite his sometimes wacky votes.

What? Jeff a liberal? He has a 96.4% rating with the ACU, that is higher than Hayworth fellas. Flake has been railing on spending since a lot of our conservative members in congress were voting for bailouts….

For interested parties a new caucus is being formed called , “RECLAIM AMERICAN JOBS.? The American people need to fight back against the illegal immigration occupation, before it too late. Our nation is suffocating under the relentless invasion, that our politicians have ignored for decades. For reasons beyond most peoples understanding, they have blocked any successful way of restrictions of foreign nationals, that have swarmed into every community in this nation. The numbers from government sources and other biased sources proclaim there are only 10 million, with numbers dwindling. However nobody in there right mind believes these numbers, as they have drudged up consistently over the last 10 years ago, without any change.. Tuscon Border Agency says for every one person, that is apprehended 9 disappear into our country. My guess by that, the numbers are infinitely far more. In the neighborhood of 20 to 30 million. 8 million illegal workers at the least escaping detection in the job market and that’s why we need E-Verify?

Perhaps that is why our government has sided with the business sector, to just identify–ONLY–new hires. Therefore, millions are not discovered, because they are already working somewhere.undetected. Federal, state county and city don’t want you to know, who has already slipped past any enforcement process. I suggest that’s why E-Verify has become a menace to corporate welfare. But E-Verify had gained plenty of momentum, and the Democratic leadership led by Sen. Reid, Speaker Pelosi couldn’t slip it past public awareness or popularity amongst HONEST BUSINESSMAN. Even Republicans cannot shift the whole blame on Democrats, as equal indifference must be attributed to both politico’s..

Now we the American people must contend with another Amnesty, Assuming President Obama can force it through. but who pays for the millions already here, or those who try to slip past before the signing. Another amnesty just means more will try to get here, thinking a third will be past at some future date. Not just the overworked border agency, but expired tourist and students at airports. So much is involved in processing new immigrants, that the whole weight falls on the taxpayers. Once here they can sponsor more family members, including those who would spend uncompensated time in emergency rooms. Another burden for luckless taxpayers. Just read the predicament the Sanctuary State of California. http://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2010/03/shocking-reality-of-los-angeles-under.html

This really is the time when jobless American or any citizen and legal resident needs be a member of RECLAIM AMERICAN JOBS caucus. Only together can we stop this travesty of our immigration laws? Whatever our party consideration, we need to make it clear to all politicians that America belongs to THE PEOPLE-not to the open border demented fools, pariah businesses or the politicians themselves. There are three main enforcement tools within the United States. E-Verify, 287(g) local police alien enforcement and ICE raids. Reps. Lamar Smith (R-TX), Gary Miller (R-CA) and Sue Myrick (R-NC) have formed the Reclaim American Jobs Caucus to raise public awareness of the connection between illegal immigration and unemployment. To pressure the Obama Administration to vigorously enforce the laws against the employment of illegal aliens, work to implement legislation that will protect U.S. jobs from the impact of illegal immigration (especially to make E-Verify mandatory) Working to defeat legislation that will put U.S. jobs at risk from the impact of illegal immigration (especially to defeat amnesty.) The Tea party movement have many objections to the Republican usurpers and the majority certainly don’t agree with Dick Armey. But then Steve Poizner would be a great win for California, as he promised he would halt the draining of public entitlements to illegal aliens and give full reign to ICE to investigate and place in detention the millions of foreign families living illegally there. Certainly Governor Schwarzenegger did nothing and allowed this epidemic to spread statewide.

Go to numbersusa.com to learn the ropes. Don’t forget to call your Senator or Representative at 202-224-3121. Don’t forget to give your state incumbent lawmaker an ultimatum; NO RE-ELECTION VOTE. We are a sympathetic people, but Americans must come first and any lawmaker who represents the illegal immigrant, must be kicked out of office. This is not mean-spirited, this is survival of our nation, our flag and our language. American jobs for American people. Learn about the rampant corruption at Judicialwatch.org. OVERPOPULATION is another hidden issue, that will cause major environmental problems by 2040.

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Jeff Flake is one of the good guys. His thoughtful conservatism is what got me interested in politics. I remember back in 04 when I was weighing over issues, trying to reconcile my libertarian views with law and order. I was always impressed with Jeff Flake and his position on issues.

The fact that he voted against the creation of Bush era bureau’s that party robots voted for is reason enough for me to trust the guy.(No Child Left Behind, Homeland Security, Prescription Drug entitlement, etc…) He voted no before it was cool to be in the party of no.

Jeff Smith seems like a nice guy but why would any conservative want to run against Jeff Flake?? Flake has been in the trenches fighting against big government even when it meant fighting against his own party. Why would any real conservatve want to vote him out. If anything we should be trying to get more people like Flake. Plus have you seen the pictures of Flake with his shirt off when he was on that deserted island?

Seriously I do not get where Smith is coming from. This at a time when we need our elected officials to stand up for conservative principles in which Flake has done a fantastic job.

Flake is McCain, Jr. with some of the same positional flaws. His one trick is earmarks but that does not make up for his failings in backing cap and tax, pro-amnesty, opening relations with Cuba, … We can do better.

Flake is McCain Jr. are you serious? He has a proven conservative record which is obvious if you took the time to do any research beyond Hayworth talking points.

And speaking of immigration, take a look at what George Will has said:

“Facts, a conservative (John Adams) said, are stubborn things, and regarding immigration, true conservatives take their bearings from facts…. Conservatives should want, as the president proposes, a guest worker program to supply what the U.S. economy demands — immigrant labor for entry-level jobs. Conservatives should favor a policy of encouraging unlimited immigration by educated people with math, engineering, technology or science skills that America’s education system is not sufficiently supplying.

And conservatives should favor reducing illegality by putting illegal immigrants on a path out of society’s crevices and into citizenship by paying fines and back taxes and learning English. Faux conservatives absurdly call this price tag on legal status “amnesty.” -end quote

Flake decides to disappear during one of the most critical votes, Cap and Trade, in order to see his daughter take part in a beauty pageant. He claims its about family values. The next thing we know, he bails on his family for a deserted island so he can take bare chested photos of himself using a camera and tripod.

What we need in CD-6 is someone to represent us and not someone obsessed with representing himself.

I’m no fan of JD, don’t use his talking points and am very serious about Flake. Flake positions are as I have listed and those do not a constitutional conservative make.

I and the over 70% of Arizonans who have passed every ballot prop on illegal immigration disagree with Will. Strict enforcement of E-verify and employer sanctions will shutdown employment opportunites for illegals. No work. No illegals. It’s called selfdeportation. If they can’t make money or take money in the form of benefits they will leave.

CD-6 deserves a true conservative to represent it and thst most certainly is not McCain Light.

I will say that he is the ONLY man in Congress I trust 100% to always act from his sense of morality and not from what the lobbyists are telling him to do.

I also know that even when I think he’s wrong, he at least has studied every issue and believes in his vote. Flake’s problem is his morality; he doesn’t hesitate to criticize corrupt politicians regardless of party. That earns him a lot of powerful enemies.

Yes, he raised $200 from himself. That’s how grassroots campaigns get started.

Check out his website, folks, and go see him speak if you can. He’s the real deal. Flake may have done a good job, but he’s off on some things, and he promised three terms and will now run for a sixth. If we can do better, let’s do better.

Flake has not been honest with us, he did not bother showing up for the vote on Cap n Trade, he had his own legislation. He did not tell the truth about the beauty pageant his daughter was in, there was no event on friday, but he stayed away so he would not have to vote for an unpopular bill. Check out his voting record on amnesty with NUMBERS USA, he is for open borders. That is just 2 issues in the spur of the moment I can think of.

I will support Jeff Smith, we need a change, no more Congressman in office for that many terms. We need different legislatures instead of the ones that supported amnesty when we told them no. And because it is election year, he scrubbed the Immigration Reform off his web site, go figure. Is that honesty?

johnny, why so cynical? Smith’s starting small, but that’s not a bad thing. He is doing a great job of getting out and talking about the issues. People who hear him are overwhelmingly seeing that he has the combination of being both right and effective.

The battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party is being waged right here in AZ. McCain and Flake are on the wrong side – Smith is on the right side. Make sure you check him out before being so dismissive.

Anybody out there getting the picture…there are a few, always ready at the keyboard types, who HATE anyone they cannot put in a box and slap a label on it.

Today’s victim….is Jeff Flake. He is not “conservative enough”. He is “McCain light”. He is a bad dude and needs to be replaced by…the candidate for change de jour. We know nothing really but he isn’t Flake. Now, that is real street cred!

Keep it going…please! Mr. Kohut and his cohorts have attacked everyone, attempted to discredit endorsements, and yet…still believe people find them relevant.

The only thing you love is sucking up to McRINO and his groupies. According to you neither McRINO nor any of the people he has endorsed have done anything wrong. They all walk on water. The cred is we know Flake is pro-amnesty, pro cap and tax, pro … sounds just like McRINO doesn’t it? If you like McRINO you’ll love Flake. For those of us that can’t stand McRINO there should be no surprise we want to replace Flake.

And Stephen I am one of those 70% you referred to who voted for the ballot initiatives on illegal immigration. However when I look into this more and more I see a real problem that just cannot be solved from E-verify and “self-deportation”. I would ask you to read this article by George Will. I believe in STRONG enforcement but along with it needs to come comprehensive reform. The title of the article says it all: Guard the Borders — And Face Facts, Too.

In order to stay pure, all roads must begin and end with a hatred for McCain. The blind leading the blind and deaf….and apparently mute is a requirement. Lest you be called out by the Haney-Pearce-Arpaio crowd, forever labeled a RINO, and fear the knock on your door with search warrant in hand. That is until the DOJ indicts and the grand scheme of betrayal of trust is laid open.

Then who will be left with the same branding attached? So sad.

How long before the reality that is the devil you have made a deal with sinks in?

The actions of the outspoken JD supporters are washing over onto all those who have saddled up with that posse.

The words you see thrown about on this site; socialist, communist…etc…are just the first fruits of an effort not based on principles but personalities.

Everyone who has made a public support of JD has put a nail in the coffin of our party to have a chance of winning statewide elections as far out as the next cycle.

The Feds are going to move and they are going to have ugly stories to tell. The connections will not be lost and the ability to form a birds of a feather connection will be simple.

Abramoff then the Arpaio-Thomas abuse of power? That is who JD is? And who are his supporters?

Voters will be angry and sick of the garbage…rejecting anyone who they think was of that persuasion.

Stephen that is fine if you don’t agree with me or George Will. I actually think your solution sounds perfect except that not only does it not entirely solve the problem but I do not think it is feasible. There are rational arguments on both sides of this argument and I am ok with you disagreeing with me but I do not see the wisdom or effectiveness in your solution.

Lastly would you say now that George Will is not a conservative as you have said about Flake? Is Will a “McRINO” too?

As Reagan said “people who agree with me 80% of the time I call friends”. George would qualify. Flake does not. Not all conservatives agree on all issues. We try to be agreeably disagreeable on those items that we hold differing opinions on and work together on those we do.

Why so nasty with the comments? This is not the Huffington Post. You know, most of this new crop of citizens running for office are/were not politicians, not backed by big money donors and yes, do not have much name recognition. THAT is kind of the point no? This new group of candidate, some coming out of the tea party movement,some not, are regular citizens who are deeply concerned for our country, worried about their children’s futures and are making great personal sacrifices to stand up and say enough is enough(at least the ones I have met). These guys do not have big money to spend on advertising, there is no corporate donors backing them. This is truly grass roots. Jeff has been actively working on his campaign long before this press release went out. His reasons for attempting to run in CD5 are not many and revolve around another good, grass roots candidate deciding to run as well. Mr. Smith wanted to still be involved and went to 5 (you do not need to live in the district where you decide to run.) Since that was already a crowded field, Jeff came back to 6. The other candidate has since dropped out for personal reasons.

Rep. Flake beat 3 other Republicans in his primary. Not sure if he had any actual political experience beforehand-I have not read anything as such, but he had to start somewhere. Most grass-roots will start with a campaign donation to themselves-that is a silly jab. Do we not give these newcomers a chance because they are new? Do we owe Flake to keep him in office because he has done an Ok job? Do I want to continue to have politicians be career politicians or at the very least overstay their welcome? If he were Michelle Bachmann or a Paul Ryan, I would say maybe not this year Jeff Smith.
Before you start chopping away at regular people who are truly fed up about what is going on in our country for little things like maybe not regurgitating his entire platform in one single press release, go and hear them speak, talk to them. These guys/girls are all approachable and will talk with you! Certainly they had been on the opposite end of things at one point and looking for their representatives with whom to speak.
Someone I spoke with recently is running for the State House had in interaction with a current State House member…he told me that this current member told him he saw no point in making himself available to his constituents in debates or in any other kind of forum. He did not think it was necessary…now if that is not a reason to get involved, I don’t know what is. This conversation they had was not ages ago, but sometimes one cannot help when they have had it up to here.

You should do yourselves a favor and watch the old classic: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Nothing has changed in State politics – the same old McCain’s and Flake’s still rule with their well funded machines. They effectively shut down any opposition. It is so bad in some Counties of AZ that the PC’s are cautioned to keep their Tea Party activities under wraps – because the McCain/Flake machine controls the PC process. Tea Party activitists generally dislike McCain and what he stands for. It doesn’t matter if the voters are pro open borders or pro Cap & Tax and pro the raiding of Social Security and Medicare to ensure exemptions for their buddies. The really sad fact is that, to get that ridiculously uninformed support the voters are being lied to. Mr. Smith, who tells the truth, is going to be crucified by the “machine”. It has already started right here! Don’t you think we know who the Good Old Boys are? Most of us are cowards – afraid to stand up against this entrenched and anti constitution gang of elitist Progressives. Ask McCain about open borders and amnesty, and his face turns bright red and he glares at the constituent who dares to suggest they have a different opinion. He never acted that way with his buddy Obama! JD’s breakfast last week on Hunt Hwy was expecting about 300 to show up but mysteriously people were notified that it was canceled at the last minute! Gee, I wonder how that happened? You folks need to understand what is going on here. This is just another “Chicago” Political swamp with cactus and golf courses. Join me, any honest guys alive out there – lets stand up and send an honest man to Washington and see if he can survive those shark infested halls!? At least we will have given it our best shot – and WE can look in the mirror and know that we were truly Patriots in the face of greed and “politics as usual”.
It is a pretty sad day in America when what is hurled as an insult is a statement that a citizen decided to run for public service and put up $200 of his own money. Why would that be a detraction? To me that is what America should be – no one should be evaluated based on the millions of dollars in his war chest from dubious sources of special interest groups or even from a relative purchasing the seat! Shame on you for seeing that fact as some type of detraction of a good man with high moral values and the belief that every citizen has the right to speak his mind and run for office – no matter how much money he has or doesn’t have. When you use this type of rhetoric – it shows what kind of men you truly are. It’s shameful to make that type of comment! I would rather have a democrat win than a machine that would condone that type of philosophy. Watch the movie – and then try to look in your mirrors at home! Keep a bucket close by – you might not be able to stomach what you have just been spouting here.

For all the anti-McCain/Flake hyperbole and alleged claims of conspiracy theories against opposition…take a look at the very open and and notorious actions in Maricopa County!

We have a chairman who thinks the county party is his personal PAC. Money is spent without proper procedure, silly straw polls are designed to discredit one candidate in favor of another, JD is the speaker at the Lincoln Day Luncheon… that is supposed to be to honor PC’s.

Haney is using it as a political event paid for by the county…in direct opposition to the bylaws that says no candidate can be endorsed by the EGC in a contested primary without a 60% approval. I have asked 5 EGC members…No vote was ever taken, no one was ever asked outside of his cabal.

Once again, maybe nothing “illegal” but sure enough pushing the envelope as far as you can go with blatant abuse of power and trust. Just an example of reality not speculation and it isn’t the McCain/Flake folks…it is all JD.

What about the number of PC’s who found themselves purged before the county meeting and replaced by others? Suddenly folks who had been PC’s for years were no longer on the list. Who controls that? The ex-chairman who was voted out as a PC by his own precinct but Haney uses as his brain trust!

Enough of the noise about rumors…we’ve got real abuse and manipulation in Maricopa County…and it is the anti-McCain crowd doing it!

“Money is spent without proper procedure”. Where is your proof? Big words. No Backing.

“JD is the speaker at the Lincoln Day Luncheon… that is supposed to be to honor PC’s.” As McRINO was at the Pima Lincoln Dinner except the PC’s protested that selection.

You are backing RINO’s and can’t stand the fact the conservatives from the Tea Parties, 9-12 Groups, etc. have poured into the PC ranks, are very active, are displacing the “good old boy country club” types and are returning the GOP to its conservative root. We have had to work around McCainiacs in the GOP blocking, holding, losing appointments for conservative PC’s, not informing conservative PC’s of meetings, not providing trainging, etc.

We are well aware of the hardball politics in play and know how the RINO’s are playing the game. We have the numbers to clean house at the leadership elections and we intend to win. Welcome to politics.

jclindbl,

Spouting campaign points does not a conservative make. Pro-amnesty, pro cap and tax does a RINO make. The Tea Parties are well aware of Flake’s record and McRINO, Jr. is the concensus.

Folks, it goes like this. In 2007 Flake, along with Dem. Luis Gutierrez of Chicago, another Obama boy, introduced the “STRIVE ACT” Which is AMNESTY. Furthermore, the night of the Cap and Trade vote Flake was supposedly at his daughter’s beauty pageant but the night of the Cap and Trade vote, was only a preliminary and the actual pageant was on Saturday night. Now why would he feel the need to lie? Only to turn around and introduce his own CARBON TAX??? Gee what a surprise. Now please explain to me, how can you be conservative, although the Washington Post considers Flake to be a liberal?? Or another paper considered him to be what I consider to be a total oxymoron, Liberal Conservative???
Then how about his little audition out in the South Pacific with just him and his camera, yea right, so he could play survivor for a few days.
My question to all you Flake supporters is this.. how can you yell and holler about a few million in earmarks and turn a blind eye to amnesty and cap and trade as well as the carbon tax, which will undoubtedly cost trillions???? Any bright ideas???? Flake has is NO LONGER a friend to the East Valley. He has blown off any contact with people who have written to him. You don’t have to believe me, go look it up for yourself.. I’ve met Smith, he’s consistent, and persistent. He’s got my vote and thousands of others. Flake and Smith debated these issues back in the late fall. Flake did a lot of stuttering!

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